ECYS Minister Melissa Gumbs. File photo.
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs on Wednesday provided an update of the state of affairs within the Ministry, a little over two weeks after taking office.
“Of course, the first objective has been to meet with stakeholders, which is a work in progress,” Gumbs said. “With the planned start of the handling of the 2025 Budget, time has been of the essence and our assessment of where the ministry stands in several key areas is ongoing. This process requires all hands on deck.”
Among the stakeholders, Gumbs has been meeting with Department and Division heads within the Ministry, to gather data on key states of affairs. With this information, an ECYS Priority Action Plan is being built, based on feedback being shared.
“Once operations resume in January 2025, I will be meeting with school boards and school managers of the public, subsidized and private schools,” Gumbs said. “Prior to being sworn-in, I held a meeting with the Windward Islands Teachers’ Union (WITU) as a proactive effort to better understand the needs of this Ministry.” Upon completion of all consultations with the boards and other relevant stakeholders, Minister Gumbs intends to follow up with WITU.
“Stakeholder engagement and consultations are critical steps in the development and execution of our action plan, as we move forward with a comprehensive vision that completely centres the operational framework of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Support. This shift is in keeping with the overall mission and vision of progressive change that is equitable, measurable and efficient.”
Backlog
Gumbs expressed that there were several high-level decisions that needed to be finalized to advance important issues of national interest. These sign-offs, which predated her Ministerial appointment in November 2024, included the 1% and 2% indexations for the subsidized school teachers.
“It is my goal to have this resolved before the end of 2024,” Gumbs said, echoing the recent sentiments of Minister of Finance, Marinka Gumbs. Preliminary findings have revealed the severity of neglect towards ECYS. “It’s unfortunate and concerning that there was even a delay in resolving these issues to begin with – which caused a clear disconnect between the public and subsidized schools’ teachers. With the urgent steps we have taken in recent weeks, I am confident that we’re collectively moving forward on more equitable footing.”
Inter-ministerial collaboration
Gumbs stressed the importance of close collaborations among the Ministries of ECYS, VSA and Justice. These efforts, most notably, are directed to children’s rights and protections, as well as national youth matters.
“The violence occurring in and around schools doesn’t just happen in a vacuum,” Gumbs said. “It is a symptom of wider, more pervasive problems, and is often traced back to a socio-economic root cause in a post-pandemic island that is still in recovery mode.”
Minister Gumbs said the quality of life of the everyday St. Maartener is directly proportional to youth development. “I have said before that economic success and comfort for me is not only measured by how many bars and nightclubs are full on a Saturday night or how many million-dollar condos are being built. We all have a role to play in ensuring that resources benefit all on a community level.”
Immediate reviews and assessments
Moving forward, Minister Gumbs expressed her intention to begin conducting reviews and assessments of all ECYS stakeholders, including subsidy recipients. According to her, these steps help to determine efficiency, effectiveness and to ensure that checks and balances are in place and properly enforced. “I know that historically, there has been concern when we use words like ‘review’ and ‘assess’,” Minister Gumbs notes. “However, I want to reassure everyone: this is ultimately about making sure that people have the tools, resources and skills they need to excel at their jobs and to help them develop and grow professionally.”
She said in order to take the Ministry to the next level, there needs to be a focus on creativity, accountability and innovation. “With a shared focus for ECYS, we will do this together for country St. Maarten. I am looking forward to working alongside everyone to make sure that we take effective steps towards these tangible goals.”
